Metal-reinforced railway-tie.



UNITE STAT JOHN F. LAHART, F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOIL.Y

METAL-REINFORCED RAILWAY-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed nee. la, ieee.

Application filed .Tune 5, 1907. Serial No. 377,328.

declare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My linvention has for its especial object to provide an improved metal reinforced railway ti'e, and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

The invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a plan view showing one `of the improved ties and portions o f rails applied thereto. Fig. 2 isa transverse vertical section taken on the line a# of Fig.- l, some parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken through one "end of theA tie on the line w of" of Fig. Fig. 4 is avertieal section taken on the line .fc4 fc* of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line :1:5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan view showing one end of the improved tie and illustrating a slightly modified construction. Fig. 7.is a vertical section taken on-the linem7 wl of Fig. f5; and Fig. 8 a transverse vertical section taken on the line .frs w of Fig. 7.

The main body portion l of the tie of,

concrete and these concrete bodies are reinforced by longitudinally extended metal rods'2 of which preferably there are-four. These reinforcing rods 2 extend nearly but not quite from end to end of the tie bodies 1 and are preferably located in rectangular arrangement transversely of the said body, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 8.

In the construction shown in-Figs, l to 5 inclusive, vertically disposed wooden blocks 3 are embedded in the concrete body 1` in proper positions to receive the rail securing spikes 4, and the reinforcing rods 2 are looped around the same so as to securely anchor the said blocks Within the concrete body.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 6,

7 and 8, threaded bolts 5 are partly embeddedL in the concrete body 1 of the tie,l with their threaded ends projecting upward and provided with nuts 6 that are adapted to clamp the flanges of the rails. In this arrangement, the reinforcing rods 2 are looped around the said bolts.

8, metal saddle plates 7 are countersunk into the upper surfaces of the concrete body of the tie in position for the rails to rest thereon, and the threaded ends' of the bolts 5 are passed upward through perforations therein.

In both constructions described, the ends of the reinforcing rods 2 are bent or crooked at 2a to more firmly anchor the said rods in the concrete body and therefore adapt the same to withstand the tensile strains to which they are subjected when the Weight of an engine or car or a part thereof is on the tie. y

In a tie constructed as described, thereinforcing rods 2 act under tension to very greatly strengthen the-tie and prevent breaking thereof under the intense strain due to large engines and heavily loaded trains. In fact, the reinforcing rods arranged both above and below the longitudinal axis of the tie produce a double, reinforcement in the concrete body of the tie and so dispose the said reinforcing rods that at least two thereof will always act under tension no matter in which direction or at which point the strain'is applied to the tie.

A concrete tie of the character described will' last indefinitely, and for that reason is, in the long run, cheaper to maintain than a wooden tie. It will, of course, be understood that the so-called saddle plates 7 illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 may be used in connection with the construction illustrated in Figs. l to 5 inclusive.

By reference articularly to Figs. 2 and 4 it will'be noted) that the body of the tie in its upper surface is formed with a depressed seat ll that-receives and closely fits a flan e or base of the rail, and thereby positive y prevents spreading of the rails or lateral movement of the rails in either direction transversely of the track. For'the same reason, the saddle plate 7 shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is formed with a seat or depression 7'. This construction is, as is obvious, highly important. It will also be understood that the term reinforcing rods is herein used Also as in the construction illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and' in a broad sense, and hence is not limited to a rod that is round in cross section but,`

, spikes 4, constitute what are herein desig nated broadly as rail anchoring devices.

What I claim is:

1. A railway tie having a body portion constructed of concrete and having enibedded therein, near each en'd, a rail anchoring device, and having embedded therein and extended longitudinally 'thereof reinforcing rods Qlocated one pair above and the other pair below the longitudinal axis of said tie/and having intermediate portions looped completely around and closely engagxng the said rail anchoring device, substantially as described. I

2. A railway tie having a concrete body, saddle plates seated in' the upper portion of said tie in position to receive and support the rails, nutted bolts partially embedded in said concrete body and extended. upward through said saddle plates, and reinforcing rods extended longitudinally of and elnbedded within said concrete body and having intermediate portions looped completely around and closely engaging said bolts, sub stantially as described.

In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

JOHN F. LAHART. Witnesses JAY XV. CRANE, F. l). MERCHANT. 

